ABSTRACT
In the mid-1990s there was a tendency for the demarcation between broadcast quality and consumer cameras to break down. Some camera formats that had been initially marketed for domestic use were pressed into service for documentary and news production. Not all of this new range of cameras provided for the standard requirements of broadcast camerawork and often required modification to provide for the professional accessories needed for programme production. Digital technology and de-regulation produced a proliferation of broadcast channels and an escalation in the competition for viewers. The expansion of services created a need to find ways of cutting costs and reducing programme budgets. This also followed the production fashion for less intrusive shooting techniques and the use of small cameras for the coverage of documentary and news. All these changes resulted in the development of digital video recording formats and cameras that were small, cheap (relative to previous broadcast ‘quality’ cameras) and easy to operate.
